How 2 make your bike feel like new. Factory Mechanic Tips CHASSIS Bar Clamps ($7-$20): If your bike has rubber-mounted handlebar clamps, consider replacing the rubber bushings every 20 to 30 hours. The bushings break down and will eventually cause additional flex. Brake Fluid ($2-$8): Over time your break fluid can become contaminated and loose hydraulic pressure. Also, some brake fluids may break down under exessive heat. Most factory mechanics recommend bleeding the brake fluid every couple of months for the average enthusiast and after every 10 motos for serious racers. Most companies recommend using DOT 4 brake fluid, found at most dealers. High-performance, high temperature aftermarket fluids need changing more frequently than regular fluids. Brake Pads ($25- $75): Just because your brake pads have some material remaining doesn't mean they perform as they were intended. Chemicals (such as lubricants or detergents) can damage pads. Mud and other natural forces can also cause abrasion damage. When you decide it is time to change pads, explore all of your options. This may be the perfect time to switch compounds to increase stopping power and durability. Brake Pivot Bolt ($8-$15): In as little as 20 hours, the tolerances between your brake pedal and its pivot bolt can increase, eventually causing costly damage. In extreme cases, the pivot bolt hole can become egg-shaped and a replacement pedal might set you back as mush as $80. To prevent this and to help your bike feel tight, grease the pivot often, and replace the bolt when you notice the pedal developing side-to-side freeplay. Cables ($20-$35): With proper main tenance, most cables will last a fairly long time. Realistically, your throttle cable should endure a couple of years of abuse, but clutch cables aren't as sturdy. In fact, they should be lubed every couple of rides for optimim performance and replaced every two to three months. A worn-out clutch cable can induce rider fatigue. Clutch Perch ($15-$70): The clutch perch is one of the first items on a new bike to show signs of ware. It can develop unwanted movement up and down, which in turn creates a rettle and vibration. Remember, vibration is one characteristic of a worn-out bike that can be avoided. Footpegs and Pivot Pins ($50-$110): While some riders don't mind dull footpegs, many demand sharp pegs for optimum traction. In some cases, you may be able to get away with filing the footpegs to your prefered sharpness. (Food for thought, sharp footpegs tend to wear out boots more quickly.) Another critical area is the pivot region. Like the brake pedal pivot-bolt hole, the footpeg's mounting hole can become egg-shaped and cause unwanted vibration. In some cases you can get away with replacing just the pins. If you decide to replace the pegs, you may want to consider the other options, such as floorboard-style footpegs from Pro Circuit, Thumper or IMS, Which are wider and stronger that stock and offer a good feel. Fork ($20-$150): Suspension fluid breaks down fairly quickly and will alter your bike's handling. While opinions vary, most technicians recommend servicing the fluid every three months for racers and every season for recreational riders. Grips ($10): It's amazing what a new pair of grips can do for the feel of a bike. Worn-out or torn grips affect your comfort level by making it more difficult to hold on to the bike. When installing new grips, use a grip-type glue and safty wire to make sure they don't come loose. Handlebar ($30-$130): A bent bar is one of the most uncomfortable items a rider can have on his bike. If your bar needs replacing, you may consider a different bend and perhaps even upgrade to a stronger bar. With the exeption of KTM and Husaberg, most manufactures sell their bikes with a fairly weak bar incapable of surviving even moderate crashes. Levers ($10-$40): Aside from the fact that bent levers can make riding awkward, you mest also consider the safty factor. The vall is designed to prevent the lever from stabbing you or another rider in the event of a crash. If the ball is broken off, you should replace the lever immediately. Pipe Springs ($1-$9): It's amazing how much vibration can occur from stretched-out pipe springs. To check if yours are worn-out, start your bike and listen to the header. If it sounds as though the springs are vibrating against the pipe, replace them immediately. Seat Foam ($40-$60): Despite the major advancements in seat foam in the last five years, it still breaks down eventually, making it uncomfortable to sit on. Usually two depressions will form in your check area, leaving the personalized effect you usually find in your favorite chair at home. If your foam needs replacing, consider purchasing taller seat foam from CEET Racing, MXA, GUT's or Tecnosel. This is also the perfect time to get a new seat cover (should you want to change graphics or increase traction), though you can reuse most covers. Shock ($50-$150): Just like the fork, the shocks's suspension fluid needs periodic replacement. It's recommended to service both at the same time. And if you're really serious about performance, replace the Heim joints on your shock when they develop play. Steering Stem ($2-$80): The steering stem should be taking apart and the bearings greased every couple of months. While the assembly is apart, inspect the bearings to make sure they operate smoothly. If they're pitted or feel notchy, then replace them. Suspension Linkage ($2-$100): Serving your bike's suspension linkage is one of the most overlooked areas. Many people spend several hundred dollars to have their suspension resprung and revalved, only to let friction hinder performance. Service your linkage every two months on average. Take the entire esembly apart and clean every part with solvent. You need to remove all of the abrasive sand and dirt that has accumulated in the grease. While doing so, make sure you don't lose any of the needle bearings. Once everything is clean, inspect the bearings and pivot bolt for damage, pack the entire assembly with grease and then torque to spec. MOTOR Gear Oil ($1-$6): One of the most expensive items to replace on a motorcycle is the transmission; fortunately, it's one of the simplest items to maintain. Engin life can be drastically increased be routinely changing gear oil every 15 to 20 hours. Four-Stroke Motor Oil ($1-$8): Changing motor oil is cheap insurance that pays big dividends. In most cases, replace the oil and oil filter every 15 to 30 hours of use. Power Valve ($2): Carbon deposits can reduse powr, therefore it's advisable to clean the entire power-valve assembly every 20 to 30 hours. This also gives you the opportunity to make sure it's opening and closing properly. Ring(s) or Top End ($30-$150): For the most part, engine performance is determined be the freshness of the top end. All of the cylinder porting, head mods and trick exhaust systems if the world won't make up for a tired engine. Depending os the type of riding you do, the number of rings and the cylinder type, your top end should be rebuilt periodically. Serious racers should consider new rings every 10 hours, and you can generally re-ring a piston twice before a new top end is required. Also note that it's critical to replace the top-end bearing, wrist pin and clips when replacing the actual piston. This is not an area where you want to be cheap. Once the top end is disassembled, it is neccessary to replace all gaskets and O-rings that have had their seal broken. Reeds ($20-$85): Tension in the reds is critical and most factory mechanics replace them after every race. It's best to check them every 15 to 20 hours and replace them once they start to pull away from the reed cage. When working properly, reeds should have enough tension to seal firmly. How to Bullet-Proof Your Motocrosser SPEND A LITTLE, SAVE A LOT It doesn't matter if you are a serious racer or a weekend enthusiast, there are several ways to protect your investment from impact, weather and wear-and-tear damage. I have tried many different ways to bullet-proof your bike and have found some of the best ways which do not require complicated modifications. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Handlebar: Most stock handlebars are made of carbon steel and usually bend after small crashes. I recommend using a quality aluminum handlebar that withstands mosst minor crashes. In my opinion, Answer ProTaper and Acerbis PHS are the strongest. Bar Clamp: Bikes with a rubber mounted handlebar benefit from using a solid top brace. This helps the bar resist twisting in the rubber mounts following harsh landings and small mishaps. I like the clamp from BRP Safty-Wire Grips: If you've ever had a grip slip or come off while riding you know the importance of using safty wire to secure your grips. Two to three loops on each grip will keep them from slipping. Grip glue also adds another level of protection. Graphics/Seat Covers: While this really isn't a mechanical bullet-proofing solution, stock grapics last about one ride and make your $6000 bike look like junk in no time. Most aftermarket graphics are made of thick vinyl and provide more durability. Also, if you wear knee braces, stock seat covers rip easier than aftermarket covers with Kevlar or more tear-resistant material in the sides areas. Radiator Guards: Have you priced a radiator lately? It's too painful to even print the numbers. Radiator guards help protect your investment and those made by DeVol offer the best protection. Skid Plate: Skid Plates serve two purposes. First, they protect frame rails and engine cases from rock damage, and this is especially important for owners of aluminum-framed Hondas. You Don't want to buy engine cases or frames; they aren't cheap. Second, when landing short on jumps or slaming into obsticles, bikes slide off dirt easier with a skid plate. Frame Guards: A simple way to keep a bike looking nice all year, plastic, carbon-fiber or aluminum frame guards also keep mud and debris from lodging in your boot contact area. My experience has shown that Works Connection guards fit the best of the metal units. Footpegs: Stock footpegs have been known to bend and even sometimes break. There are several companies (Thumper, Pro Circuit, IMS, and Proto Factory) that make ultrastrong pegs for added security. Aftermarket pegs can also offer different widths and hights for rider preference. Heavy-duty Tubes: Flat tires suck. If you run too much air pressure, you won't get flats but the rear wheel will dance all over the track. If you run too little air pressure you run the risk of getting flats. Heavy-duty tubes allow you to run the correct pressure while reducing the risk of flats. Radiator Additive: A little factory secret, Redline Water Wetter is a unique additive to radiator fluid that aids in transfering heat and keeps engines running cooler. Thread-Locking Agent: We've all seen silencers, seats, sidepanels and even suspension linkage bolts fall off and cause DNF's. Have a little confidence in your macchine by using a thread-locking agent on critical harware. There are different strength levels available, so be sure to choose the level best suited for the job. Clutch Perch: Finishing a moto with a clutch lever flaping in the wind is not an easy task. Stock perches made from cast aluminum and solidly mounted to the handlebar break easily. A few aftermarket racing companies such as Works Connection and Emig Racing offer clutch assemblies made from billet aluminum with nylon bushings at the mounting area. Billet aluminum is a lot stronger and the bushing allows the perch to rotate on the handlebar. Dual-Stage Air Filters: Two layers are usually better than one, and dual-stage filters are typically the best way to prevent dirt from getting into your engine. Chain: A high-quality chain is an easy way to alleviate grief, and my experience has proven D.I.D's ER series to be the strongest. Tere is nothing worse than a broken chain or a chain you have to adjust after every lap. Also a quality chain adds life to a ser of sprockets. Stock OEM chains are usually not the highest quality on the market. Tape Rims: This is an old though sometimes forgotten rule; taping rims helps prevent flats and makes changing tires less of a headache. Waterproof Ignition Covers: Several bikes come with plastic and/or poorly sealed ignition covers. It's a good idea to use a quality semidrying gasket material to give the stock gasket a helping hand. Rusted, shorted-out ignitions can put an end to your race day. Tape or Seal Ignition Wires: It's not very common, but water or mud can corrode or short out the connectorsaround the CDI box and coil. It's a good idea to use electrical tape to double seal the wires and alleviate potential problems. Brake Snake: Seen on almost every factory bike, brake snakes prevent brake pedals from ripping off after snagging obsticals or other riders bikes. Aluinum Rear Master Cylinder Reservoir: Stock rear master cylinder reservoirs are made from plastic and risk the possibility of breaking is a crash. Aluminum reservoirs are more durable and withstand greater impacts. Fork Guards: There's no sano way to repair badly dented fork tubes exept for replacment. Once a fork tube is dented, the inner bushing binds on the dent and inhibits fork action. So prevention is the key here. Fork guards protect your conventional or inverted fork tubes from dings. Sealed Airbox/Air Boot Connection: As a recommended preventative measure, use 3m weather strip adhesive to seal the joint between the airbox and the air boot. Do not use silicone because it has properties that might brek down the rubber gasket and cause dirt to enter the engine. Aluminum Throttle Tube: Nohing is worse than a stuck throttle; I know from experience. Billet throttle tubes can withstand crashes without causing throttle problems. Teflon Tape on Front Brake Mount: A cheap insurance against broken lavers or costly front master cylinder damage is to lightly wrap your handlebar with two layers of Telfon tape before mounting the master cylinder. Foam Under The Skid Plate: Some skid plates come with thier own foam, but if not, any small section of coarse foam will work. This helps keep mud, dirt and rock from lodging between the frame/skid plate and the engine. Rear Chain Guide: Stock chain guides can bend and cause a chain to fall off or wear a sprocket abnormally. There are companies such as BRP that manufacture billet-aluminum or ultrastrong braces that withstand a greater impact than stock guides.